Thee Sacred Souls bring modern soul to The Union
Thee Sacred Souls arrive in Salt Lake City at a point when their journey from a California soul trio to an internationally recognized live act is already far beyond its early stages. The concert at The Union Event Center takes place on August 18, 2026, doors open at 5:00 PM, and the program begins at 6:00 PM. The evening is part of "The Constellation Tour", bringing together Thee Sacred Souls, LA LOM and The Womack Sisters.
For audiences who know Thee Sacred Souls through songs such as "Can I Call You Rose?", "Will I See You Again?" or "Easier Said Than Done", the concert offers an opportunity to hear a band whose sound is firmly connected to classic soul and R&B of the 1960s and 1970s, but without giving the impression that they are simply trying to reconstruct the past. Josh Lane's vocals, the rhythm section of Alejandro Garcia and Salvador Samano, and the expanded live lineup create music that can be gentle and highly intimate, then shift into a more dance-oriented groove in the very next song.
Salt Lake City is not unfamiliar territory for the band. Thee Sacred Souls performed at the same venue in January 2025, and a report from that concert describes Lane's strong communication with the audience, his movement through the venue among attendees, and the combination of older songs with material from the album "Got A Story To Tell". Returning to The Union is therefore not simply another new venue on the schedule, but a return to a space where they have already built a direct relationship with the local audience.
Tickets for this event are currently on sale.
Why Thee Sacred Souls sound familiar even though they belong to the present
The band's foundation is soul from the second half of the 20th century: soft vocal harmonies, bass that carries the song without unnecessary showmanship, restrained guitars, organ, horns and arrangements that leave plenty of space for the lead vocal. Yet it is precisely the details that prevent the music of Thee Sacred Souls from becoming merely a nostalgic exercise.
Their songs speak in a contemporary language about falling in love, breakups, loneliness, insecurity and attempts to put one's life back on solid ground. Because of this, they attract listeners from different generations. The Los Angeles Times previously noted that the band appeals both to fans of 1960s sweet soul and to younger listeners drawn to its themes of romance, introspection and personal empowerment.
Their first album, "Thee Sacred Souls", was released in 2022, while their second album, "Got A Story To Tell", arrived in 2024 with 12 original songs. That album expanded the band's emotional range. Love songs did not disappear, but the stories became more reflective and the arrangements more layered.
Among the songs that have marked their rise are:
- "Can I Call You Rose?" - one of the songs that introduced the band to a wider audience and remained one of its most recognizable titles.
- "Will I See You Again?" - melancholic soul with vocal harmonies that work especially well in live performance.
- "Easier Said Than Done" - an example of the softer, floating side of their sound.
- "Lucid Girl" - an important track from the album "Got A Story To Tell", with a more pronounced rhythm section and a more contemporary production character.
- "Live For You" - a song that Josh Lane has connected at earlier concerts with messages about the relationship one has with oneself and with the people around them.
This is not an announcement of the set list for Salt Lake City. The order and selection of songs for this concert have not been confirmed in advance. These are titles that explain the band's range and why their concert can appeal even to audiences who are only beginning to explore modern soul.
"Got A Story To Tell" and new music from 2026
The current phase of Thee Sacred Souls' career is not limited to touring their second album. The band's discography continued to expand throughout 2025 and 2026, and their website currently gives particular prominence to the songs "Any Old Fool" and "We Don't Have To Be Alone".
Daptone Records lists "Any Old Fool" in its 2026 discography, as well as the releases "Waiting on the Right Time" / "Waiting #2" and "One and the Same" / "Same Difference". The latter two projects were produced with Victor Axelrod and are part of a continued exploration of material connected with the album "Got A Story To Tell".
That is why the August 2026 concert comes at an interesting point. The band has two studio albums and several years of intensive touring behind them, while at the same time having fresh music that shows the current live cycle is not intended merely as a repetition of the repertoire from the previous tour.
What has been confirmed from earlier performances is that Thee Sacred Souls do not remain strictly tied to the trio format on stage. Their songs gain additional breadth live through keyboards, guitars, backing vocals and horns. Their NPR Tiny Desk performance, for example, featured the band's core alongside additional musicians on keyboards, guitar, backing vocals, trombone, saxophone and trumpet.
Such a lineup helps explain why studio recordings that initially seem very gentle can acquire a stronger dynamic arc in concert without losing the warmth that defines the band.
A concert where the audience is not merely an observer
Reviews of Thee Sacred Souls performances from different cities repeatedly mention one detail: Josh Lane often tries to reduce the sense of distance between the stage and the audience. At the 2025 Salt Lake City show, he stepped down among the attendees, while reports from other concerts also note his movement through the crowd and direct communication during songs.
That is an important difference between listening to the album at home and experiencing this band live. Thee Sacred Souls are not performers whose show relies on massive visual production. The emphasis is on the musicians, vocals, rhythm and the immediate reaction of the room. At earlier concerts, audiences sang, swayed to the rhythm and reacted to Lane's introductions to songs, giving the evening more of the character of a shared soul performance than a strictly choreographed pop show.
The Union can suit that approach precisely because of its size. The venue can accommodate up to approximately 3,500 people, considerably fewer than large stadiums and arenas, so the contact between performers and audience remains more immediate.
It is worth securing tickets in time, especially if the goal is to be closer to the stage in a venue that predominantly uses a general admission and standing-room format for concerts, unless otherwise specified for a particular event.
LA LOM brings another side of California's musical story
"The Constellation Tour" is not designed as an evening in which the audience simply waits for the headlining band. LA LOM brings its own highly distinctive instrumental world.
The Los Angeles trio consists of Zac Sokolow, Jake Faulkner and Nicholas Baker. Their music connects cumbia sonidera, classic Mexican boleros, soul ballads, rockabilly and other sounds that have circulated through Southern California for decades. Instead of a lead vocal, the melody is often carried by the guitar, while bass and percussion create a rhythm that can shift from a slow, almost cinematic atmosphere to highly danceable cumbia.
Pairing them with Thee Sacred Souls makes sense. Both groups use the past as a musical language, but draw different elements from it. Thee Sacred Souls emphasize American soul and R&B, while LA LOM brings Latin American rhythms and instrumental tradition into the same Californian context.
The result is an evening whose musical range is not limited to one narrow definition of soul. Visitors who enjoy cumbia, bolero, vintage instrumental rock or California oldies culture alongside Thee Sacred Souls have a reason to arrive from the beginning of the program rather than only just before the headliner appears.
The Womack Sisters arrive at an important moment in their own career
The third element of the evening is The Womack Sisters - BG, Zeimani and Kucha Womack. Their family history is connected with several major chapters of American soul: their parents are Cecil and Linda Womack, while Linda Womack is the daughter of Sam Cooke.
Still, their current work is not limited to their surname and heritage. Their self-titled debut album has a release date of August 14, 2026, meaning that the Salt Lake City concert should take place just four days after its release.
For the audience, this gives the date additional significance. The Womack Sisters come to The Union at the exact moment when their music is being presented for the first time through a full debut album rather than only through individual singles. Their emphasis on multi-part vocal harmonies naturally fits alongside Thee Sacred Souls, but the family's vocal dynamics create a different texture from Lane's solo approach.
The combination of The Womack Sisters, the instrumental LA LOM and Thee Sacred Souls makes the entire program a meaningfully connected evening rather than a randomly assembled sequence of opening acts.
The Union - an industrial concert venue near downtown Salt Lake City
The Union Event Center is located at 235 North 500 West in Salt Lake City. The venue is situated in an industrial part of the city not far from downtown and is organized across two levels. For different types of events, it can accommodate up to approximately 3,500 people.
Concerts are predominantly organized as general admission and standing room unless otherwise specified for a particular event. This is important for Thee Sacred Souls because much of the effect of their music comes from the immediacy between the stage and the audience. Instead of the feeling of a distant large arena, The Union allows for a more compact concert atmosphere.
The August 18 event is marked as all ages. Visitors should nevertheless keep in mind that balcony access and the purchase of alcohol require a minimum age of 21 and a valid identification document.
The venue has its own security rules regarding items that may be brought inside. Larger backpacks and bags are not permitted, while small bags up to 6 x 8 inches and fanny packs are allowed. Outside food and beverages, weapons, laser pointers, and professional photographic and recording equipment are prohibited. Additional restrictions may vary from event to event.
Most useful information before arrival
- Location: The Union Event Center, 235 North 500 West, Salt Lake City.
- Doors: 5:00 PM.
- Program begins: 6:00 PM.
- The event is open to all age groups.
- Concerts at this venue are generally general admission and standing room unless otherwise indicated for the event.
- Large backpacks and bags are not permitted; small bags up to 6 x 8 inches and fanny packs are accepted.
- Outside food and beverages may not be brought inside.
- The bar and concessions operate cashlessly.
Arriving by public transportation may be easier than looking for parking
For visitors arriving at The Union by car, the most important information is that the concert venue does not have a conventional large parking lot for the audience. Concerts rely on limited street parking in the surrounding area, available on a first-come, first-served basis. It is therefore reasonable to allow extra time and carefully check local signs before leaving a vehicle.
An alternative is public transportation. The North Temple station on the TRAX Green Line is located between 400 W and 500 W, while the North Temple FrontRunner station is approximately one block southeast of the venue. For rideshare arrivals and departures, 500 W is used.
Particular attention should be paid to the railway tracks in the immediate vicinity. For pedestrians who need to cross them, the recommended pedestrian connection is at 300 N and 500 W.
A limited number of accessible parking spaces are located on 500 W immediately next to the main entrance and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For visitors coming to Salt Lake City for the first time, the venue's location has a practical advantage: the concert is not located in a distant suburban area that necessarily requires a car. North Temple connects the area with the rest of the city's transportation network, allowing the journey to be planned together with accommodation in the broader downtown area.
Who this evening is especially interesting for
The simplest answer would be - soul lovers. But the program is broader than that.
Longtime listeners of Thee Sacred Souls get the band in the period following the album "Got A Story To Tell" and alongside new recording activity from 2026. Visitors who discovered them through "Can I Call You Rose?" can become familiar with a more varied part of the catalog, from gentle ballads to newer songs with a stronger rhythmic emphasis.
For fans of instrumental music, LA LOM opens an entirely different gateway into the evening through cumbia, bolero and a California oldies sensibility. The Womack Sisters bring multi-part R&B and soul vocals at the very moment when their debut album is being released.
The common denominator is not nostalgia in itself. All three performers use musical languages with a long history, yet they operate as active artists of the present moment. That is precisely why "The Constellation Tour" can work both for audiences who already collect soul records and for someone who discovered these performers through streaming, festivals or short live clips.
The return of Thee Sacred Souls to The Union after performing at the same venue in 2025 is also particularly interesting. The audience reaction at that show and Lane's communication with attendees provide a concrete indication of the kind of relationship the band builds in this room, without any need to assume a set list or special production for the August concert in advance.
Tickets for this event are in demand, and arriving before the start of the program makes additional sense because of the complete lineup, limited street parking and the venue's standing-room character.
Sources:
- The Union Event Center - current information about the event, location, door-opening time, program start, age policy and The Womack Sisters.
- The Union Event Center - information about parking, TRAX, FrontRunner, the rideshare zone, pedestrian access and accessible parking spaces.
- The Union Event Center - venue rules, permitted bag sizes, general admission format, cashless operation and balcony access.
- Daptone Records - biography, the album "Got A Story To Tell", Thee Sacred Souls discography and 2026 releases.
- Thee Sacred Souls - current releases highlighted on the artist's website.
- LA LOM - biography and the trio's musical influences.
- Utah Concert Review - description of Thee Sacred Souls' 2025 performance at The Union Event Center and Josh Lane's contact with the audience.
- NPR Music - Tiny Desk performance, live lineup and examples of songs performed live.
- Los Angeles Times - band profile, generational range of the audience and development of themes between the first two albums.
- The Guardian - current profile of The Womack Sisters and information about the debut album scheduled for August 14, 2026.
- LUX Hospitality Group - capacity and spatial characteristics of The Union Event Center.